Thursday, February 17, 2011

Ok so I've been posting for a few months and not necessarily on a regular basis but I now have my team blog or at least a team blog for my Africa trip! So I will be posting everything on here as well so here is the first one and it is a short bio about ourselves. Hope you enjoy!...

Hey everyone! I am Joshua Hudgens but you can call me Josh. I live in Marshall, Texas where I go to school at East Texas Baptist University (ETBU). I was born in Mesquite, Texas and lived there since then, well sort of ha. I have two of the greatest parents who have loved me and set a wonderful example for what it means to have a God-centered relationship. My brother, Chris, is 18 and goes to school here with me. He lives more for God everyday. I look up to him a lot whether he knows it or not.

So I am a Speech Communications major with a Religion minor. I like to talk and want to be a speaker at youth events and summer camps. I'm not exactly sure how I will get to that but I have a passion for youth and children. While here at ETBU I work in the Speech Comm. department running errands (if there are any) it doesn't pay very much but it's something.

I have been going to a church in town for the past few months and have been hanging out and working with the youth group there on Wednesday nights. I help lead a small group there and just recently started mentoring a kid, but I'm not all sure what to do there because I've never done that before. So obviously I love God, family, friends, school (well learning), running, swimming!, sand volleyball, soccer (all-time favorite sport to play), football, reading (on occasion), riding my bike, and working out. I love to be adventurous. We climb building here in Marshall. My friends and I recently found an abandoned rock quarry that we go swimming in when it’s warm. I love to go camping so I can't wait to be sleeping on the ground in a tent this summer!!! haha Probably my biggest fear is needles, mostly IV's I've been known to pass out : / but other than that I try not to show fear I like to do crazy things and have fun at the same time, but I do think before I leap.

I've been on mission trips before but they were in the U.S. and only for a week. Once to Seattle, Washington; Austin, Texas; Houston, Texas; and twice down by the Texas/Mexico border. I've done VBS, construction, starting gardens, walking the streets. I've done most of these things as an intern for my church back home. In all of this I've never brought anyone to Christ though. Not that I can save people or anything but I still live my life in a way that I don't need to preach or use words to share the Gospel.

God has put Africa on my heart for several years now so I can't wait for us to get there! I want to show these people and especially the kids love, more specifically God's unconditional love. I don't feel that I am there to save these people but just love them and set an example. I will leave the saving to God. I am nervous I've never been anywhere for a solid two months without seeing my close friends or family. That will be hard but I know I will have you guys and God to encourage so it's not too big of a deal. I just don't want to go through the trip and get done and wish that I had done something, or spoke to someone. I want all my fear to leave me so God can use me. I want to grow so much closer to him and just learn that he is more than enough for me.

Well that's is just a preview of what is to come this summer from me. Hope you're as stoked as I am. God is going to do amazing things. I pray he prepares and breaks the hearts and minds of us and everyone we come into contact with from here on out for him and his glory! Always be joyful and pray continually!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

I've felt like this before. It's sad to say that even though I know God delivered me from this before I am still worried, confused, and stressed. I feel alone. It seems as though I can't go to any of my friends or roommates for anything because they will tell their girlfriends or their girlfriends will tell other people. If God created us to be in community, where is it?
There are three friends of mine that I feel I could go to, but two of them are two plus hours away. The only way to communicate is to text or call them and I need more than that. (I don't blame ya'll for that it's just hard sometimes.) The other is here at school with me, but I don't want to go to her. I mean I want to but I can't not right now. I know she cares about me but I don't feel that right now. So I'm away from everyone who truly cares about me.
I know God is there and that I can trust him and his will for my life is good; better than anything I could think of. So I feel alone, here at school surrounded by all of my "friends." And in a few months I will be backpacking through Africa 8,000 plus miles away with people I've never met reaching people groups I've never heard of or seen. Besides God putting everything together I am alone! Physically I will more alone than I am right now. I can't even begin to think how I will feel mentally.
So far I have had very little support from friends and family for this trip. I have received a lot of "good lucks" and "I'd like to helps" but I can only answer those with "thanks" and "here's how..." Other than that I haven't got a lot of spiritual or financial help. God said he will provide for this trip through friends and family. So far I've had just over ten people give donations of $25+. I have less than $800 paid and my trip costs $5300. I need support. I need help. Prayers are so important for this mission. So if you could first pray and ask God what you should do for this trip specifically. Second act on what he instructs. Please show love to me by sending me to Africa. God called and ask "whom shall I send?" I answered "Send me. I'll go."
I am selling wristbands for $5 and they say "Send Me! I'll Go!" because that is what God wants of us. No hesitation. No looking right or left just following and trusting him.
I hope in writing this I don't sound too depressed. I know that this time in my life however bad it might seem will bring me closer to God. That's what I need and that's what I want. Listen to "The More I Seek You" and pray that that is true for you. In God we have peace. I just want everyone to know what I am going through and what I am preparing for. Less than 130 days from now I will on a plane to Africa. Pray for me. If you could pray specifically for my physical, mental, and spiritual abilities to be at where God needs them most. That God goes before me and prepares my path and opens the hearts and minds of the people I come into contact with. Also lift up my group that I will be backpacking with. And pray that this entire trip and your's and my lives glorify the LORD.
"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
-Josh

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About Me

I love God. I am a Christian but it's not just a religion for me, it's a relationship. I am a sinner just like everyone else and it is only by God's loving and perfect grace that I am forgiven. I am the son of the two greatest parents in the world and older brother of the coolest guy you'd ever meet. I am a junior at East Texas Baptist University (ETBU) and I love it here. I've learned a lot about me and life in the past few years and I'm writing this blog mostly for me but for whoever is reading it I hope God uses it to speak to you. Always show His love.